Effects of different ratios of associations of forage grasses and herbaceous legumes on the bio-mass yield in Bale highland, Ethiopia

The experiment was conducted from 2010/11 to 2012/13 with the objectives of identifying the appropriate types and level of grass-legume association for pasture productivity improvement in highlands of Bale. Accordingly, two herbaceous forage grasses phalaris aquatica L. and Panicum coloratumL. Were integrated with two varieties of herbaceous forage legumes; Medicago sativa l. and Trifolium repens L. in different association ratio. The mean result of six season analyzed data revealed a significant difference (p<0.05) between associations of different forage legumes and grasses as well as different proportions. According to this result, the association of all types of forages 50% legumes to 50% grasses has shown a better result. Association of 50% alfalfa and 50% phalaris, and 75% phalaris and 25 % alfalfa has shown the average dry matter yield of 15.7±3.4 tone/ha with 40.8% legume and 14.0±3.4 tone/ha with 45% legume DM yield respectively. Phalaris 75% with white clover 25% has shown the high yield of 15.5±3.4 t/ha with only 0.8 t/ha white clover. This result indicates that the 50%/50% and 75% /25% proportion of phalaris and alfalfa is a good dry bio-mass yielder and can satisfy the best requirement of grass to legume composition of the pasture.

Effects of different ratios of associations of forage grasses and herbaceous legumes on the bio-mass yield in Bale highland, Ethiopia Keywords:

Grasses , Legumes , Associations